Harry Potter and the Riasc Stone
by Marian DeKay
Summary: Summer following Harry's 5th year brings surprises, more deaths, new faces, changed realtionships and even a new love. Throw in the Black twins and a revelation from Dudley and Harry isn't quite sure of what is going on... Read and Review please.
1. Chapter One: Gemini Black

**Harry Potter and the Riasc Stone**

By: Marian DeKay

**Chapter One: Gemini Black**

_Disclaimer: I am only claiming what you do not recognize._

Adara smiled as her last class ended. Summer was upon them and it was high time that she got some sun on her face. She packed her school books away into her bag, thinking about how great it was that she didn't need to look at them for another three months.

Swinging her book bag over her shoulder, and pulling her long chocolate hair from out beneath it, she followed the other students out of the classroom, down the hall and out into the bright sunshine of summer vacation.

She was a little lost in thought as she walked across her school campus, the Salem Institute for Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was not a Seer by any means, fact her Divination skills were so horrible she had decided to drop the class. But she couldn't help feel like something was wrong. Somewhere, something was wrong, and though she didn't know what, it made her uneasy.

She finished packing quicker than her roommates did. She shared a suite in Dawson Hall with three other girls. One she knew was spending every remaining minute with her boyfriend, another was most likely still in class, and the last was walking through the door as she shoved her last book into her trunk.

"How was your last final, Adara?" the blond roommate asked. Adara shrugged.

"It went fine," she replied. "I mean, I'm sure my marks were decent, but..."

"But what?"

"Jenna, did something happen?" Adara asked, not able to ignore the feeling in her stomach. "I mean, has there been disaster or anything?"

Jenna thought for a moment. "Not that I know of. But we'll get the paper tonight at the Leaving Feast, and I'm sure they will mention something if anything has happened. Why?"

"I have a weird feeling is all," Adara replied. "I'm all packed, so I think I might have a nap. Wake me for dinner, will you?"

"Sure."

Adara smiled and retreated into her room where she fell onto her sheetless bed and dozed off quickly.

- - - -

Harry Potter sat down on his bed and sighed. This summer was looking to be not much better than the rest. _And now that Sirius was dead_... no he was not going to continue that train of thought. He was not going to think about Sirius Black.

Harry sighed and lay back against his bed pillows. It had only taken a day for his Muggle relatives to put him to work. In his first day back at Number Four Privet Drive he'd already weeded the front, back and side gardens, washed Uncle Vernon's car, waxed the kitchen floors, and was now about to fall asleep on his uncomfortable bed. Two weeks later, he couldn't figure out how his aunt kept coming up with more and more chores.

A knock on his door pulled him back to reality and he stopped himself from groaning.

_What now?_

He opened the door to Aunt Petunia's bony face. "Yes, Aunt Petunia?"

"You will need to join us in the kitchen," she stated, not uncrossing her arms. "We have some things that need to be discussed." She turned and left his doorway promptly and Harry found himself a bit curious of her request.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were both seated at the kitchen table when Harry entered. His cousin Dudley, who took after his Uncle Vernon in more ways than were really fair to inflict upon a teenage boy, came into the kitchen shortly after and took a seat opposite his mother.

"Boy, your aunt and I are leaving tomorrow," Uncle Vernon began, not looking at Dudley. "I have a business trip in France and after signing this deal we will be in the market for a sunny summer home, so Petunia and I will be looking while we are there."

"Dad, what about-" Dudley began, but his father cut him off.

"You are not coming," Uncle Vernon said sternly to his son. "After the trouble you've caused us this past term, you should be happy we're not sending you off to the Royal Marines."

Dudley paled at his father's suggestion and Harry wondered what had happened to make his aunt and uncle have such a changed of heart towards their pride and joy.

"There are to be no visitors to this house while we are gone," Uncle Vernon stated. "This goes for you too, Dudley. Should we find any evidence of… that… _funny stuff_, boy, you will be locked in your bedroom for the rest of this year, and you will not be going back to that school of yours. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry replied, but he knew that it was an empty threat; Uncle Vernon could control his return to school as much as he could control the weather.

"There will be no telly either, Dudley," Uncle Vernon continued, looking at Dudley. "The cable will be disconnected for the time we are away. Ms. Figg has agreed to look in on you from time to time. There is plenty of food in this house, and plenty of chores to be done to keep you _both_ busy."

Dudley's face went even paler and his mouth dropped open. His parents ignored him and looked at Harry.

"When we return, if everything is in order, we will allow you to visit those… _people_… you visit each year, and stay for the remainder of the summer."

"How long will you be gone, Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked.

"Two weeks, if all goes well," he replied.

"Well, good luck," Harry said, trying to control his excitement. _Two whole weeks with no Dursleys! And Dudley on chore duty! _"I hope you have a good time."

Uncle Vernon eyed him, but did not comment on Harry's pleasant tone.

"Well, I'm quite tired from my day of chores," Harry said standing up and yawning. "And tomorrow will be filled with more, so I'd best get to bed so I can be up early tomorrow ready to go." He bade his aunt, uncle and cousin good night before nearly skipping up the stairs.

- - - -

"Malissa?" a voice called and she froze. She knew that voice. The dark haired woman looked up and matched the voice to a face of a man her age, sandy brown hair with wisps of silver strands.

"Remus, hi," Malissa said. She knew this would happen; she was bound to run into someone from school. She stood and gave her old classmate a quick hug before he joined her at her table.

"Where have you been?" Remus asked. "It's great to see you, but where have you been all these years? Everyone assumed you were dead. We searched for you, but after we came up with nothing, so we just assumed you had been killed. It's great to see that you are still alive. What have you been up to? Why are you in London?"

"No, I'm not dead," Malissa replied. "I've been in the states."

"Well that explains why we couldn't find you," Remus replied. "I can't believe your here! Wait till-"

"Don't tell Sirius I'm here," Malissa said quickly.

"I was actually going to say, that Professor Dumbledore would be glad to know you're alive," Remus said.

"You can't tell anyone you saw me, Remus. No one," she said. "Especially not Sirius. Though, he should be quite insane by now."

A wounded look crossed over Remus' face and she was taken back by his silence.

"You really have been gone haven't you?" Remus asked quietly.

"Yes, and I'm not back to stay," Malissa replied. "The less people who know I'm here, the better."

"Do you want to know what happened?" Remus asked.

"I know what happened, Remus," Malissa replied. "The whole wizarding world knows. Sirius gave James and Lilly to You-Know-Who. Then he blew up a street."

"He was innocent, Malissa," Remus said. "It was actually Peter who blew up that street. Sirius escaped from Azkaban three years ago."

"He escaped?" Malissa asked and glanced around, expecting to see Sirius jump out from behind a corner. "Where is he now?"

Remus didn't reply immediately. The wound of Sirius' death was still too fresh.

"Remus?"

"He died, Malissa," he said. "He fell through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries." Remus retold the events of Sirius' escape, innocence and the Ministry of Magic for Malissa, all the time still wondering why she was in London.

"I can't believe this, Remus," Malissa said. "I can't deal with this right now. I need to go."

"Malissa, wait," Remus said, standing. "If he knew you were alive, he would have looked for you. We all would have. We thought you were dead."

"It's a good thing you all thought that," Malissa replied. "What was I supposed to do? My husband had just blown and entire block into pieces. I was not about to stay around when he was going to prison. I wanted more for myself and my bab-"

"Your what?" Remus asked, his eyes going wide.

"Good bye, Remus," Malissa said. She swept past him and out of the restaurant. Once on the busy stone laid road of Diagon Alley she turned and walked quickly towards the Leaky Cauldron. She ignored Remus' voice calling after her, fighting the tears in her eyes.

_Sirius was innocent? Sirius was _dead

She shook her head to clear her thoughts away and was grateful when the stone wall leading to the Leaky Cauldron came into view. She was almost away from her past; she was almost safe.

Almost.

A curse struck the side of the building beside her and the force of the impact knocked her to the ground. Her shield was instantly up, but her magical force field didn't work on falling stone.

"Malissa!"

She screamed as the stone crushed her. She couldn't move her legs, or her arms, or her upper body. She was completely crushed by stone. Around her she could see and hear people running and screaming. Black cloaked figures were running everywhere, white masks covering their identities, firing curse after curse at the innocent witches and wizards who were caught in their way.

_Cowards_, she thought.

"Malissa," Remus said, couching beside her. He put a shield up, covering them both in a soft blue orb. "Oh god, Malissa."

"Don't move the stone, Remus," Malissa said. "It's not going to help. I can't move and I can't breath."

"Hang on Malissa," Remus said. "The Aurors are here, they brought Healers. They can help you."

"Remus, I'm sorry I ran all those years ago," Malissa said.

"It's in the past," he replied.

"Promise me something," she said and he nodded.

"Anything."

"Take care of my children."

"Children?"

"In Salem. Make sure they know about their father."

Remus shook his head. "_You_ can tell them."

"No I can't," Malissa replied. "Promise me, Remus."

"In Salem," he repeated. "I promise."

A Healer arrived at that moment. She banished a few of the stones that had crushed Remus' school friend.

"I'm Healer Jefferys," the witch said.

"I'm Remus Lupin, and this is Malissa Black," Remus said. "She said she couldn't move or breathe." Malissa had dropped in unconscious and her breathing was unsteady.

"Four of her ribs have punctured each lung," Healer Jefferys said, feeling along the side of Malissa's body. She cast another charm over Malissa's chest and looked lost. "And another has gone straight into her heart. Her lower abdomen has been completely crushed and both her legs are shattered.

"What can you do?"

"Mr. Lupin," Healer Jeffery's started slowly. "She can't be saved. She's in no condition to transport to St. Mungo's, and she has massive internal bleeding."

Remus looked at Malissa's body again, and fresh tears sprang to his eyes as he watched her take her last breath.

He nodded and stood up, noticing for the first time he had blood all over himself.

"Are you injured, Mr. Lupin?" the Healer asked, noticing his stained robes.

He shook his head. "It must be Malissa's. Please, do what you need to do with..." he waved his wands at Malissa's body. "I... I need to see Professor Dumbledore."

The Healer gave him an odd look but didn't question him further.

Remus made his way through the chaos that was the aftermath of the attack in Diagon Alley. Many buildings had suffered damage, and there was stone and rubble covering the street.

He pushed his way through the barrier between the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley, and once outside the wizard pub, he Apparated to the Hogwarts gates.

- - - - -

"Rigel, catch!"

The dark haired young man turned and easily caught the pigskin ball being thrown at him. He laughed at his friend and dorm mate. Trey was a Muggle born wizard who had a passion for the Muggle sport.

"See, after five years, you're getting the hang of it!" Trey laughed and trotted along side Rigel. Both boys walked into the Main Hall on their way to the Leaving Feast.

"You and the Muggle football," Rigel said. "When will you see that Quidditch is the way to go?"

"When your sister says she'll go out with me," Trey replied.

Rigel made a face. "Oh, okay, so never?"

"You seem to have no faith in my ways with the women," Trey replied.

"No, I have no faith in your ways with my sister," Rigel corrected him. "Women and Adara are two different things."

"Not to me, Rigel my friend."

"Then I think this goes without saying," Rigel replied. "Touch, look or even think about my sister with even the slightest amount of impurity, and you will find that your Muggle pigskin is some how charmed to not come out of your-"

"Mr. Black," said a voice strong with authority, and Rigel turned to see the Headmaster addressing him.

"Yes, Headmaster Quick?"

"As I'm sure that Mr. Johnson would like to further discuss your plans for his football, I must have you come with my immediately."

"I'll save you a seat," Trey said and fell back into the sea of students on their way to their last meal.

"We will continue this in my office, Mr. Black." Headmaster Quick lead the way and Rigel followed behind him quickly. He had never been to the Headmaster's office, and wondered what he could have done this time to earn such a reward.

Headmaster Quick held the door to his office open and Rigel's eyes quickly fell onto his twin sister's face.

"Adara, what's going on?" Rigel asked. She shrugged and turned back in her seat. It was then that Rigel noticed three people standing in the Headmaster's office, three people he had never seen before.

"Save Merlin," the witch said, who couldn't have been much older than himself and his sister. "He looks just like him. When he was younger, of course."

The older wizard had a long white beard, and was smiling at the two of them with approval and affection. The third was a middle aged wizard with sandy brown hair, and his face looked like he's seen a ghost.

"Allow me to introduce Adara and Rigel Black," Headmaster Quick said. "Adara and Rigel, please meet Professor Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks."

"Just Tonks, if you please," Tonks said and shook their hands.

"Nice to meet you," Adara said.

"Sorry, but you said I looked like someone," Rigel said to Tonks. "Who is it that I look like?"

"Like your father," Remus replied. "Like a fifteen year old Sirius Black."


	2. Chapter Two: Spontaneous Magic

**Chapter Two: Spontaneous Magic**

"You knew our father?" Adara asked, breaking the silence that had engulfed them after Remus' statement. Rigel was unable to speak, and no one had for quite a long time.

"Yes, I did," Remus replied. "Very well in fact. He was a very good friend and a very good man."

"Well, our father is in prison," Rigel replied. "Couldn't have been that good of a man if he blew up a city block."

"Actually, your facts on that are a bit out of date, Mr. Black," Professor Dumbledore said. "But we will have time to discuss all of this later."

"Later?" Adara asked. "Are we going somewhere with you?"

"The entire story is a bit long and complicated," Professor Dumbledore said. "But, yes, you two will be accompanying us back to England."

"Why are we going to England?" Rigel asked.

Professor Dumbledore exchanged a look with Remus and then looked at Headmaster Quick.

"Herald, they are your students, so I will let you tell them what has happened," Professor Dumbledore said.

A pained expression crossed Headmaster Quick's face and he turned to the twin teens.

"There was an attack in a wizarding part of London," Headmaster Quick began. "England right now is in the beginning of a war against a dark wizard, and some of his henchmen attacked Diagon Alley. Your mother was there and… well… she didn't make it. Your mother instructed Mr. Lupin to take care of you. When you began school here years ago, unbeknownst to anyone but me, Mr. Lupin was put down on your school documents as your emergency guardian if anything were to happen to your mother."

"Mom's dead?" Adara asked and Rigel put his arm around her. She turned and cried into his shoulder and silent tears fell down Rigel's face.

"This can't be true," he said, a little above a whisper. "This can't be happening."

"I am very sorry for your loss," Headmaster Quick said.

"So we have to move to England?" Rigel asked, his temper beginning to flare. "Leave everything we know behind, just because mother appointed _him_ our guardian? We don't even know them! How are you certain this story of theirs is true?"

"I have known Professor Dumbledore since our school days," Headmaster Quick replied. "He would not fabricate such a story."

"I can't believe this is happening," Adara said, turning away from her brother. "I can't believe you are making us leave."

"You will spend the summer at your family home in London," Professor Dumbledore said.

"We don't have a _family_ home in London," Rigel snapped. "Mother was our family. We have no others."

"Please control your temper, Mr. Black," Headmaster Quick said.

"Actually, you do have family," Tonks spoke up. "I was your father's cousin, so that makes me your cousin as well. And the Weasleys are cousins twice removed. Or is it three times removed?"

"You will find that there will be many people willing to bring you into their family," Remus said. "And another orphan that might be willing to give you company. At least

I know he'd be intrigued to meet you."

Rigel looked at his sister. Both their tears had stopped falling from their identical gray eyes and Adara looked as tired as Rigel felt.

"When would we have to leave?" Rigel asked, looking back at the British wizards.

"Unfortunately as soon as possible," Professor Dumbledore replied. "Like Headmaster Quick explained, we are in the beginning of a war and times are not safe. We wish to get you to the secured location as soon as possible, without arising too much suspicion of our absence."

"You are already packed, are you not?" Headmaster Quick asked. Adara and Rigel nodded and the headmaster continued. "Well, I'll have your trunks brought here. I must insist that you three join us at our Leaving Feast, Albus. Traveling on an empty stomach is never good for the soul."

"I suppose we can spare an hour or so, Herald," Professor Dumbledore replied.

"Rigel, Adara, would you please show Mr. Lupin and Ms. Tonks to the Dining Hall?" Headmaster Quick asked. "I have a few more things to discuss with Professor Dumbledore and he needs copies of your transcripts."

"Yes, Headmaster," Rigel and Adara replied and lead the way out of the headmaster's office.

- - - - - -

Harry stretched as the early morning light began to creep into his bedroom. Three whole days had gone by and no Aunt Petunia and no Uncle Vernon. Harry got up and quickly changed into shorts and a Gryffindor tee shirt. Grabbing his trainers, he crept down the hall and down the stairs careful not to wake Dudley.

He had gone for a run since the first morning after he had returned from school. At first it was an impulse, something to clear his head, and once he was actually running he found he rather enjoyed it. It wasn't up to par with flying, but the cool morning air in his face was refreshing.

Harry jogged in place outside of the front door. After he felt warmed up and felt the blood start to flow through his body again, he took off at a steady pace up Privet Drive. He had run the same way each morning, up Privet Drive, across the park, down Magnolia Road, up Wisteria Walk and then back down Privet Drive. He found the entire thing took a little over an hour and was a nice warm up for the day ahead.

This particular morning did not go as Harry had planned. When crossing the park, he got the eerie feeling that he was being watched. He knew that this guard was around somewhere, but the feeling he was getting wasn't that of potential danger. Harry made a sudden stop and turned around, his hand going for his wand tucked under his shirt.

"Dudley?" Harry asked, seeing his overweight cousin trotting along behind him, breathing very heavily. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

"Following you," Dudley replied and collapsed onto the ground. "I saw you leave two mornings ago and then again yesterday morning. So today I decided to follow you. You run awfully fast, Potter."

"I was just having a morning run, Dud," Harry replied.

"But if you were getting out of that dreadful house than I was too," Dudley said.

Harry couldn't help but grin. His cousin's attitude towards their list of chores had been negative, but he did them none the less.

"What did you do, Dudley?" Harry asked and sat down beside his cousin. "To make Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon so mad at you."

Dudley's face went a bit red. "I, uh, got the boot from my school."

"You got expelled from school?" Harry exclaimed and Dudley nodded. "How did you manage that?"

"Got into a fight with Piers," Dudley replied. "Pier's mother threw a fit and insisted legal action be taken."

"You got in trouble with the police?" Harry asked. "For fighting?"

"Well, it got blown out of proportion and Mum and Dad wouldn't hear my side of it," Dudley replied. "Dad was more embarrassed for himself than for me. Said he's gotten into fights all the time at school and no one ever took notice. Said there must be something about me that the school didn't like, and of course that's my fault."

Harry frowned. "What's your side, then?"

Dudley glanced at him before looking back at the swing set. "Piers was, erm, tormenting a girl in our year. He was being really rough and, uh, inappropriate with her. So I told him to stop, and we got into it. After everything, he said it was _me_ who'd been hassling Angelica. And Angelica was too afraid of both of us to say anything. She just cried and didn't talk. So everyone thought it was me, and I got out of hand and then the police got involved." Dudley paused and Harry could not believe what he was hearing. Dudley was standing up for some _girl_ against his own mate, and he got expelled for it.

"Mum and Dad had to come pick me up from school two weeks early," Dudley continued. "They'd never yelled at me like that. I mean, I've hear Dad go off on you, but they never actually yelled at me."

"The best way to get through those," Harry said, trying to lighten his cousin's mood, "is to think about something else. Like when Aunt Marge was here a couple summers ago, when ever she would start on me, I would think of my broom servicing kit, and remember exactly what it said, and replay it all in my head. Worked pretty well." _Till you blew up your aunt._

"Broom?" Dudley asked. "You have a broom?"

"Yeah," Harry replied hesitantly. "You know to fly on."

"You actually fly on a broom?" Dudley asked. Harry wasn't sure if his cousin's tone was mockery or curiosity.

"Yeah," Harry repeated. "We have a sport, called Quidditch. I'm on my house teams, have been since first year."

"Is the broom at the house?" Dudley asked and Harry shook his head.

"I got into a fight last year, and the broom was confiscated."

"You got into a fight?" Dudley asked and Harry nodded. Dudley was quite for a few more moments. "Do you… er… have anything else, you know, like you that I could see?"

"You mean anything magical?" Harry asked, surprised that his cousin was showing a genuine interest in Harry's magical life.

"I mean, I could beat it out of you, but you'd have to show me eventually," Dudley replied. "Might be easier for you if you just show me that way it saves me the time of rearranging your face."

Harry grinned, and tried not to laugh. His cousin was teasing him, actually teasing him.

"Sure thing, Dud," Harry replied and stood up. A mixture of emotions crossed over Dudley's face including worry, intrigue and last of all excitement.

"Don't tell Dad, though," Dudley said.

"I wouldn't dare," Harry replied. "Besides, then I'd have to tell him that there are magical things in his house."

Dudley agreed and they walked back to the house.

- - - - - -

Molly Weasley was busy moving about her kitchen, careful not to let the bacon burn. She had been up for a few hours, careful not to wake her children. _Though Ron and Ginny are hardly children anymore_, she thought. With Bill and Charlie, and now George and Fred, all working for the Order, she felt she had to keep herself busy just to keep her mind off of things. And then there was Harry, he was just something different all together. He would always have a special place in her heart.

"Morning, Mum," Ginny said, coming into the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear," Molly said to her youngest child, handing her a cup of tea. "How did you sleep?"

Ginny gave a small grunt, which Molly took to mean that she hadn't slept well. Molly turned back to the bacon and eggs cooking on the stove, each murmuring small sizzles and pops are they cooked. Ginny looked much like she had when she was fifteen. _Or almost fifteen, _Molly thought. Molly would come down for breakfast, usually she was first to the table, but sometimes her brother Fabian would beat her there. Gideon was always late to wake in the morning.

Molly stiffened as her memory raced back. It had been in the morning when she had got that terrible fire call. The one that told her that her beloved brother's had died during the night.

"Molly Weasley!" a voice roared and she jumped at the sight of Professor Dumbledore's head in her fire. Her breath caught and she couldn't speak. _Not again, not one of my boys. Please not Bill or Charlie or…_

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore?" Ginny said to the headmaster's green head. She glanced at her mother, understanding about the fear that just flared in her brown eyes. "Mum's here."

"I have an enormous favor to ask of you, Molly," Professor Dumbledore began and Molly felt herself relax. He wasn't brining news of someone's death.

"Yes of course, Albus," Molly replied, finding her voice as her muscles unclenched around her lungs.

"There are two students that need to stay someplace," Professor Dumbledore continued. "They have recently been orphaned, and after this morning's events, I have no one to stay with them, and truth be told, they need a friendly face."

"Of course, Albus, send them along," Molly said.

"They are two fifteen year olds, Rigel and Adara," Dumbledore said, his mouth twitching at the corners. "Their mother continued the family tradition of naming them after night stars. You knew their father."

"How long can we expect them for?" Molly asked.

"Hopefully not longer than a day," he replied. "Once I pull two more orphans out of their current situation, we will all be able to go to Headquarters. All of us, Molly. I would like it if we could get you and Arthur and Ron and Ginny there as well."

"Yes, of course, Albus," Molly said.

"You should expect them along shortly," he said. "By portkey near the front garden. Say fifteen minutes?"

"We'll be here for them," Molly said. "Oh, Albus, who is their father?"

Professor Dumbledore's mouth twitched again. "Sirius Black."

- - - -

"Wow," Dudley said. Harry grinned like a fool, watching his cousin flip through his copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_. "And you can do this? Fly on a broom like this?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. "It's not that hard. Well, at least not for me. Quidditch talent is apparently in my blood, and I've always been able to do it."

"And they always move like this? It's like watching a little movie!"

Harry handed him his photo album after Dudley was finished with the Quidditch book. Dudley went through the pages slowly, listening as Harry commentated.

"That giant fellow gave this to me after my first year," Harry said. "Look, here's your mum. That was at my parents wedding."

"My mum was in their wedding?" Dudley murmured, more to himself than Harry. "Is that your mum?"

Harry nodded. "And my dad, and his friends."

"She's so pretty," Dudley replied. "I've never seen her before. I guess she'd be my Aunt then."

"Aunt Lily," Harry replied, "and Uncle James." _If only Voldemort hadn't messed everything up._

"Who are these people?"

Harry looked at the new page. "Those are friends, Ron and Hermione. That was after a Quidditch match… And this one was during fourth year, after one of the Triwizard Tournament Challenges. I was one of the champions… This was Ron and I dressed up for the Yule Ball… Oh! This one is during the DA, that's the underground defense club we started last year. That is Ron' sister, Ginny hexing her boyfriend…" Harry's eye caught on another picture of Ginny and himself. She was smiling at him, and he was grinning back at her, it must have been when Ron made Keeper, because Ron was in the background talking to Katie Bell. It was one of the few color photographs Colin had made that year, and Harry noticed how beautiful her hair was. Long red hair, slowly turning to a deep auburn with maturity, yet the strawberry highlights the summer sun had brought out were slowly fading back into their deep red. _Ginny looked to happy,_ Harry thought. _She looked to beautiful._

_Whoa, where did that thought come from?_ Harry asked himself. He glanced at Dudley, who had not been able to hear Harry's thoughts.

"You said this was your mate's sister?" Dudley asked.

"Yeah, Ron had just made the Quidditch team," Harry replied. "We were both happy for him."

"Does he know you look at his sister that way?"

Harry snapped his head up. "In what way?"

Dudley shrugged. "I dunno. Like that. You look like you really like her."

I do like her," Harry replied. "She's a friend of mine."

"Not like that," Dudley said. "I mean like you like her more than a friend."

"That's absurd, Dudley," Harry replied, though he was not so sure of the truth to his words. Did he _like_ Ginny Weasley? "Ginny is a friend." _And she's loyal, and funny, and trust worthy, and brave and a hell of a flyer._ "And she has a boyfriend." _What was that Potter? Are you making up excuses why you can't be attracted to Ginny Weasley?_

"If you say so, Potter," Dudley replied, and looked back at the pictures. Harry watched him flip through a couple more pages, and gave his input where appropriate, but his mind was now wrapped around the thought of Ginny Weasley.

"Potter, what was that?" Dudley asked and Harry looked up at him.

"What was what?"

"There was a noise downstairs," Dudley said. Alarm bells went off in Harry's head and he jumped to his feat.

Thump!

This time he heard it. There was no mistaking it, there was someone downstairs.

Harry grabbed his wand from the bedside table and moved quietly to the stairs.

"Stay here, Dudley," Harry whispered. He crept down the stairs and nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Professor Dumbledore's voice calling his name.

"Ah, there you are, Harry," Professor Dumbledore said. The sight of his headmaster was not something Harry was eager to see, and he strived to keep his temper down. His last encounter with the headmaster had not been a pleasant one.

"I was upstairs," Harry said shortly. "What do you need Professor?"

"I'd like a word with you and your cousin, actually," Professor Dumbledore replied, realizing Harry was still cross with him.

"I'll get him," Harry said and turned back to his room. "It's my headmaster, Dudley. He wants to speak to both of us."

"Is he a wiz… a wiz…"

"A wizard?" Harry supplied. "Yes, and he won't do anything to you. Come downstairs, and you'll see that he's all right."

Dudley looked skeptical.

"Trust me, Dudley," Harry replied. Dudley eyed his cousin for a long time before nodding and following Harry down the stairs.

Professor Dumbledore was seated at the table, three cups of steaming tea waiting for them.

"Dudley, this is my headmaster, Professor Dumbledore," Harry said and Dudley nodded.

"Its nice to meet you, Mr. Dursley," Professor Dumbledore said. "I take it you've have nice summer?"

"Hardy, sir," Dudley replied, and clenched his knobby fingers around his cup of tea.

"Well, I'm not to make it any better," Professor Dumbledore said. "Harry and Dudley, I have some bad news for the both of you."

Harry's heart fell. If it was for the both of them, then surly that must mean…

"Harry, have you received the Daily Prophet yet?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"That load of rubbish?" Harry asked, almost amused that Professor Dumbledore would think he would read it. "After everything they printed about me last year? No, sir, I don't read that paper."

"Pity," Professor Dumbledore replied and handed him the paper. "Let me know what you think about the cover story."

Harry glanced at the front page.

**Fifty Muggle Deaths in South France- Suspected Death Eater Involvement**

**Muggles at a conference murdered in massive attack in Languedoc Roussillon**

Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore and then at Dudley. Harry didn't need the headmaster to say it. There would be no other reason he would be here, talking to both Harry and Dudley if it weren't true.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were dead.

"When?" Harry asked.

"Very early this morning," Professor Dumbledore replied.

"When what?" Dudley asked. "What's happened?"

"Do you remember last summer when I told your mum and dad that Lord Voldemort had returned?" Harry asked and Dudley nodded. "Well, he is still out there. And this morning there was a huge attack on some Muggles that were at a conference, and Lord Voldemort was behind this attack. It was in south France, Dudley."

"Do," Dudley said his face going white. "No, it can't be true."

"It is unfortunately true, Dudley," Professor Dumbledore said. "I am very sorry, but both your mother and father were killed. Their hotel was burnt to the ground."

"Stop it!" Dudley cried. "Stop saying this! I won't believe it!"

"Its true, Dudley," Harry said.

"No! No, its not! They are coming home in a week and a half and you'll see! You'll both see!"

"No, Dudley, they won't," Harry said.

"No! Be quiet! You'll see! Stop talking about! Stop saying it! They're not dead! They're not dead!" Dudley was working himself into a frenzy now, and Harry glanced at Professor Dumbledore, not sure what to do. Professor Dumbledore didn't move.

"Dudley, please clam down," Harry began.

"Do! Stop talking! Be quiet! Be quiet! Silence!"

For a moment Harry wondered if he had cast a spell, and decided that he hadn't even thought it and looked at Professor Dumbledore. The look on Professor Dumbledore's face indicated that he hadn't cast the spell either. The headmaster's eyes were wide in shock.

Somehow all the noise in the room had stopped. Dudley's mouth was moving but there were no sounds coming from him. There was no hum of electricity that was normally background noise in their lives. No sounds from the street, or the clock, or Dudley's chair as it fell. Dudley was frantically yelling something, but with no sound it was not clear what he was saying.

Harry stared at his cousin in shock and amazement. That was before the irony of the situation occurred to him and he doubled over in silent laughter.

Dudley Dursley had just cast a spontaneous Silencing Charm.


	3. Chapter Three: Dudley’s Dilemma

**Chapter Three: Dudley's Dilemma**

Professor Dumbledore waved his hand and the sound was instantly turned back on.

"What d-did you d-do to m-me?" Dudley stammered.

"We did nothing," Professor Dumbledore replied, calmly. "You were the one that cast that charm."

"M-me?" Dudley replied. "I c-can't d-do m-m-magic! I'm n-not like him!"

"Until this moment, I believed that were true," Professor Dumbledore said. "We will need to explore this further. However, now is not the time. With Petunia and Vernon Dursley's death, we need to get you both out of here as soon as possible."

"Where are we going, Professor?" Harry asked, silently hoping for the Burrow.

"Headquarters, Harry," Professor Dumbledore replied and held his hand up to stop Harry's oncoming tirade. "Right now it's still the safest place. The Burrow is out of the question; however the Weasleys and two other students will be joining you and Dudley at Headquarters. As many questions as I am able to answer then will be answered."

Harry nodded, a horrible sick feeling forming in his stomach at the thought of returning to Grimmauld Place. Professor Dumbledore sent them both upstairs to pack their things.

"What's going on, Harry?" Dudley asked.

"You need to pack your things. Some clothes mostly, and anything else you don't want to leave behind," Harry replied. "I know you don't have a trunk, but it you pack a suitcase I can have Professor Dumbledore shrink it and we can place it in my trunk."

"Where are we going?"

"To my godfather's house."

"You have a godfather?" Dudley asked. "But all these years you've-"

"He's been in wizard prison for most of that," Harry replied quickly. "Then he escaped and his name wasn't cleared, and then he died."

"He died?"

Harry nodded. "At the end of last term."

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry looked at his cousin in amazement. He was still having trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had been killed by Death Eaters, and that Dudley had just done magic in the kitchen.

"Thanks, Dudley," Harry replied. "And don't worry about what's going to happen now. The Weasley's are wonderful people. And Professor Dumbledore will sort out the magic you did. Have… have you ever done anything like that before?"

Dudley shook his head. "No. I don't think I can handle being a fr- I mean, being like you."

"It's not so bad," Harry replied. "If you choose to, a lot of things are really amazing."

"Your boom book was amazing," Dudley replied. "And those pictures…"

"Go pack some clothes, Dud," Harry said. "I'll meet you back in the kitchen. Dudley nodded and waddled down the hall, looking more lost than he had before.

Thirty minutes later, Dudley and Harry were standing in the front hall of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Harry and Dudley's jaws both dropped. Dudley was amazed at the size of the house while Harry was shocked at how different the house looked.

Noticing Harry's look of awe, Professor Dumbledore said, "Since Sirius left the Order this house, I've employed Dobby and Winky to fix it up. They've come quite a long way in the past two weeks."

"I'll say," Harry said, just above a whisper.

"Why don't you take your things upstairs, Harry? You'll find that most of the rooms have been redecorated."

Harry nodded and led Dudley up the stairs. Harry chose the same room he had shared with Ron the past summer and set his trunk down at the end of the bed. The two beds had been replaced with newer mattresses and frames, both with deep cherry head and floor boards. The room was painted in a soft cream with deep green duvets covering the beds.

"Normally I share a room with my friend Ron," Harry began but seeing the look of hurt on his cousin's face made his stop. He couldn't just abandon his cousin now, not when there was no one else Dudley could go to, not when his only connection to the magical world was him. "But I think you should take that bed. Ron can stay in another room."

Dudley's face brightened and Harry smiled.

"Come on, lets go see if there is anything to eat in the kitchens," Harry said.

"Will that old bloke mind?" Dudley asked.

"Professor Dumbledore? I don't think so," Harry replied. "I'm not very happy with him, either, so I don't much care."

"Your headmaster seems to know you fairly well," Dudley said.

"Well, I have a knack for almost getting myself killed each spring," Harry replied dryly. "And let's just say he kept things from me that could have saved my godfather's life."

Dudley nodded and followed Harry down the stairs, almost running into his cousin when he stopped on the last flight of stairs.

In the foyer below were four teenagers, two with red hair, and two Harry did not recognize, but decided that they looked very familiar. Ron didn't seem to notice Harry or Dudley standing on the stairs and dropped his trunk on the floor, looking at the two dark haired teens. The other red head was more of what caught Harry's attention and he felt like he was looking at Ginny Weasley for the first time. Her hair was swept up into a ponytail, revealing her slender neck freckled with, well, freckles. She dropped her trunk beside her brothers and looked up to meet Harry's eyes. She grinned at him, her smile reaching her deep brown eyes, and Harry realized she wasn't looking at him with pity or concern. She was genuinely happy to see him.

"Close your mouth, Potter," Dudley whispered from behind him and instantly Harry shut his mouth, not having realizing that it was hanging open.

Ron's head snapped up and he grinned at his friend.

"All right there, Harry?" Ron asked. "How's your summer been?"

"Fine," Harry managed, not taking his eyes off of Ginny. She glanced from Harry to Dudley then back to Harry. Ron had apparently noticed the larger blond boy standing behind Harry because his grin turned into a scowl.

"What's he doing here?" Ron asked.

"Oh," Harry said and glanced at Dudley. "He did a bit of magic at Privet Drive and Professor Dumbledore brought us here."

"My mum and dad died," Dudley said.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Ron said. "We saw that in the paper and feared the worst."

Harry was now looking at the other teens with great interest. He had never seen them before, though they both looked oddly familiar, and since they looked to be about his age, he was very curious as to who they were. Ron followed Harry's gaze to Rigel and then looked back at his friend.

"You'd better come into the kitchen, mate," Ron said. "Its best if we do introductions sitting down."

Harry nodded and stepped down the last few stairs, pausing at the bottom to look again at Ginny.

"Hi Ginny," Harry said.

"Hi Harry."

"Having a good summer?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Same as usual. Chores, homework. Oh, then there was this weird thing where we had to come to headquarters at the last minute with no explanation," she paused and smiled at him. "So yeah, same as usual, I guess."

Harry nodded, dimly aware that he was grinning at her like a fool. She followed her brother into the kitchen and Harry and Dudley took seats opposite the dark haired boy and girl.

"Rigel and Adara, meet Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley Dursley, who we thought was a Muggle but apparently not. We'll have to see what Professor Dumbledore says about that," Ron said. "Harry meet Rigel and Adara Black."

"Black?" Harry asked looking from Ron to Rigel.

"I'm sure you've heard of our father," Rigel said. "His name was Sirius Black. He was a criminal or something. I'm not quite sure what happened, but apparently he wasn't actually guilty."

"Apparently," Harry replied, his throat going dry. "You're Sirius Black's kids? I mean, did he know, I mean, about you two?"

Adara shook her head. "Mum had gone into hiding before we were born. She said they had a huge fight and after he was sent to prison she fled to America."

"Did you know our father?" Rigel asked.

"You could say that," Harry replied. "He and my father were best friends at school. He was my godfather." _Ron was right to make me sit down._

"Ah, it seems you've al already met!" Professor Dumbledore's voice said as he came into the room. He was accompanied by Professor McGonagall, Remus and Tonks.

"Professor, how can this be possible?" Harry asked.

Professor raised an eyebrow at him. "The Black twins or your wizard cousin?"

Harry blinked a few times. "Both, I guess."

"I have a theory on one and a story for the other," Professor Dumbledore replied. "Ron, Ginny, I cam assume your mother is finishing up at the Burrow?"

"Yeah," Ron replied. "Once you gave her the okay to send us here, she sent us along. Said she had to finish up closing up the Burrow for the summer and then she'd be on her way here and it shouldn't take more than a couple hours."

"Good," Professor Dumbledore said, conjuring a chair for himself and Professor McGonagall. Remus and Tonks had already taken seats at the table.

"I'll put a pot of tea on, Professor," Ginny said and stood up.

"Thank you, Miss Weasley," Professor Dumbledore replied and turned to Harry. "Now what would you like clarified first?"

"Rigel and Adara," Harry replied. Dudley could wait.

"Well, you've heard most of that tale already," Professor Dumbledore replied. "It starts during the first war. Sirius and their mother, Malissa Reese, were an item through their seventh year at Hogwarts, and continued to date into their early adult lives. That much is known to everyone. Where the story becomes complicated is what happened after that. None of this was known until a day or so ago when Malissa was killed in the attack on Diagon Alley. Malissa was a powerful and clever witch, a very true and natural Ravenclaw, and she had written a letter explaining everything I am about to tell you all. She had charmed this letter to appear on my desk if she were to be killed.

"Shortly after you were born, Harry, Sirius and Malissa married, unbeknownst to anyone. Then James and Lily made Sirius their Secret Keeper and Malissa feared for her life and that of her unborn children. She did not tell Sirius she was with child when she fled. She and Sirius had gotten into a huge argument about his responsibilities towards the Potters as their Secret Keeper and told him she was going to visit family in Cornwall and off she went. Sirius then convinced James to change Secret Keeper to Peter in hopes to mend things with his new wife, but before he could contact her, Lord Voldemort learned of the Potters whereabouts and, well, we all know what happened then."

"Actually, we don't, sir," Rigel spoke up. "We don't learn about European history till our last year at Salem Institute."

"Very well then. Harry please forgive me, I know this part is redundant," Professor Dumbledore said. "And a bit hero focused on you."

"No, its okay, Professor," Harry replied. "I think Dudley needs to know as well."

"Lord Voldemort learned of the Potter's whereabouts and on Halloween night, he destroyed the Potter's house, and murdered Harry's parents, James and Lily. When he turned his wand and the Killing Curse on Harry, something happened that he did not expect. It rebounded onto Voldemort, stripping him of his power and body, and left Harry with that scar on his forehead. Harry was famous the instant Voldemort's curse failed to kill him, and from then on, the Wizarding world has known him as The Boy Who Lived. Harry was then brought to the Dursley's doorstep where he was left in the care of his mother's sister and husband. The next day, Sirius cornered Peter on a Muggle street corner. Now what we thought happened was that Sirius blew Peter to pieces along with a street full of Muggles. Sirius was arrested and sent to Azkaban. Your mother, upon hearing this, fled to America. There were a series of Death Eater attacks in Cornwall immediately following the fall of Lord Voldemort and after searching and searching, we could find no trace of her, so we feared the worst, that your mother was one of the casualties of the last attacks in the first war.

"Malissa Black fled to America with her twin six month old infants. She placed the Fidelius Charm on herself and the two of you, making herself Secret Keeper. If anyone in Britain had thought she was alive, they would not have been able to find her. So she began a new life in America, raising the two of you with the knowledge that your father was in prison.

"When actually it was Peter Pettigrew who was the Potter's Secret Keeper, and was the one who had blown the Muggle street to pieces before transforming into his animagus form, a rat."

"He was my brother Percy's pet rat," Ron supplied. "Then he got passed down to me."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "When Ron and Harry started at Hogwarts, Ron brought his pet rat with him to school. Before Harry and Ron's third year, three years ago, Sirius broke out of the wizard prison when he learned that Peter was at Hogwarts, with Harry. At the end of that school year, Sirius, Remus and Peter were revealed to Harry as his father's best mates from school, and that Peter had been the one to betray James and Lily, not Sirius. Peter managed to escape after Harry prevented Remus and Sirius from killing him, and returned to Lord Voldemort. A year after that, Voldemort regained his body, and this past month was revealed to the Ministry of Magic after a battle in the Department of Mysteries which resulted in Sirius Black's death."

Harry closed his eyes and tried to push away the image of Sirius falling through the black veil. His breathing was irregular and he swallowed, pushing down the taste of bile in his mouth.

"Did you see Father die?" Rigel asked and Harry opened his eyes.

"Yeah, I did," Harry replied, unsure of how much more his voice would cooperate. Adara had tears sunning down her face, and Dudley looked like he was in shock.

Ginny and Ron were staring at Harry, waiting for his reaction, expecting him to explode at someone. _I guess I deserve that,_ Harry thought.

"That does explain a lot," Adara said and her brother nodded.

"What about me, sir?" Dudley asked.

"Ah, you are much more of a challenge, Mr. Dursley," Professor Dumbledore said. "I'll let Professor McGonagall handle this one; it's more of her area of expertise."

"Thank you, Albus," Professor McGonagall replied and looked at the teens. "Any child who has shown magical potential before their eleventh birthday is sent an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. A student must be eleven to start their first year; that is why Miss Granger turned twelve during the first month in school. Like I said, any student showing magical potential is sent an acceptance letter, no matter how little or strong the potential may be.

"With you, Mr. Dursley, one can only speculate why you didn't receive a letter and why you were able to perform that charm earlier this morning. One theory is that when you turned eleven, your parents ignored the acceptance letters and refused to allow you to attend Hogwarts. That is unlikely because either you or Mr. Potter would have remembered something. So the other possibility is that you didn't show any magical potential before now. The reason for this could be that you have always heard your parents opinions on magic and your subconscious pushed that part of you deep down until it was buried very deep under years and years of negative influence and opinions on magic. You never knew it was there, it never made an appearance and your became your parents prize of a Muggle son. In a way, your subconscious pushed that part of you to a place where it would not surface, and this was a way of gaining approval from your parents."

"But why now?" Dudley asked. "If you say it's been there for a long time, why did that- that _spell_ thing happen now?"

"We can only guess, Mr. Dursley," Professor McGonagall replied. "It seems that the news of your parent's death may have brought out some raw emotion and your magic surfaced."

"So… I'm a…a…a wizard?"

"It would seem so," Professor McGonagall replied. "If you choose to, you can attend Hogwarts this fall with Harry. You'd have to be Sorted, and technically you'd be a sixth year, but you'd be placed in the lower level classes. You'd have to work hard to catch up. This summer we'd have you tutored, I'm sure your cousin's friend, Miss Granger, would be more than happy to help you. I repeat, you'd have to work hard, but there is no reason we couldn't have you sitting your N.E.W.T.'s in three years time. I'd be a year after Harry leaves Hogwarts, but he's also had five more years of magical training than you have."

"I'd- I'd have to think about it," Dudley said.

"The other option is some military academy," Professor McGonagall continued. "Or a boarding school in the States."

"What about Aunt Marge?" Harry asked, suddenly remembering that Dudley had a living adult blood relative.

"She was a bit broken up by the news of her brother's death," Professor Dumbledore said. "When told that Dudley was still alive and in need of a guardian, she said she wouldn't take him and if we thrust him upon her, she's send him to an orphanage."

"Yes, I can see those words coming out of Marge's mouth," Harry replied and looked at his cousin. "Think about it Dudley. No one's going to force you into anything. But you'd have to work hard at magic to get caught up."

Dudley nodded and studied the table.

"What about us, sir?" Adara asked. "The history of Potter and Black was quite interesting, but what are we supposed to do now?"

"Well you and Rigel, as well as Harry, have all been placed under Remus' guardianship," Professor Dumbledore replied. "Also, since your father did not know you existed, he left this house to the Order of the Phoenix, and everything else to Harry, Remus, Tonks and the Weasley's. Your mother left a few things to you both but-"

"Money was a bit tight," Rigel said for him. "Yeah, we expected that much."

"Don't worry about money," Harry said. "I've got enough for the both of you. And you too, Dudley."

"That's very kind of you," Rigel said. "But it's not necessary."

"Your father made me his sole heir," Harry replied. "The least I can do is spend his money on his children."

Rigel and Adara nodded, not wanting to argue with Harry.

"And as far as school is concerned," Professor Dumbledore continued. "You two are a year younger than Harry, but at the same level in course material. We shall have you sorted and you shall join Harry and his friends at Hogwarts for your sixth year."

"Do you play Quidditch?" Ron asked suddenly and Adara and Rigel nodded. "Excellent, we'll need some more players this year. I'm not sure about keeping Kirke and Slopper, they'll need to try out again this year."

"But Ron, we don't know what house they'll be sorted into," Harry reminded him.

"Harry," Ron replied. "They're Sirius Black's son and daughter. Could they be more Gryffindor?"

"We'll wait and see where the hat sorts them before readjusting the team roster, shall we Mr. Weasley?" Professor McGonagall suggested. "Besides, it is the job of the new Captain to deal with the team roster." Professor McGonagall shot a pointed look at Harry and Harry chose to ignore it.

"Yes Professor," Ron replied, his ears turning a tinge a pink.

"Now, have I answered your questions thus far?" Professor Dumbledore asked and the teenagers nodded. "Good, good. Now, I think I hear Molly coming through the front door, Tonks, why don't you go help her with her things. I'm sure she'll have you all stuffed in no time."

- - -

Lunch was a somber event, with all six teenagers attempting to process what had been told to them. Remus and Tonks stayed through the meal, before heading out, stating they had Order business to attend to. Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall also stayed through lunch, but left for Hogwarts soon after.

Somewhere from the kitchen to the drawing room Dudley disappeared up the stairs. Ron enticed Rigel into a game of chess and Harry took a seat on the couch opposite Ginny where she had her feet tucked up underneath her and a lock of hair had fallen out of her ponytail. She was talking to Adara and Harry resisted the urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear.

_What re you thinking, Potter!_ he thought. _This is Ginny we're talking about here!_

Harry tore his eyes from Ginny and watched Ron and Rigel playing chess. As soon as Harry had heard the last name of Black attached to Rigel and Adara, he immediately saw the resemblance to Sirius. Rigel looked just like Sirius did in the photos Harry had in his chest. The thought made a smile creep across Harry's face and he could help but chuckle.

"And what's so funny, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"It was just thinking," Harry said. "There will be a Potter and a Black back at Hogwarts together. Too bad Remus doesn't have any unaccounted for children running around somewhere or we would almost have a complete second generation of Marauders."

Ginny snickered. "Yes, thank goodness Remus was a good boy. Imagine what havoc you all could wreak on the school."

"Marauders?" Adara asked.

"When our fathers were at school, that's what they dubbed themselves," Harry explained. "They were apparently quite the pranksters and troublemakers."

"Then I know where Rigel gets it," Adara replied. "I'm more calm and nonchalant than he is. Don't get me wrong, we have our moments of wreaking chaos together, but he's defiantly the ring leader."

"Are you spreading lies about me, sis?" Rigel asked, not looking up from the chess board.

"Just spreading the truth, brother dear," she replied and he looked up at her and flashed her a smile. The sight sent chills down Harry's spine; it was so identical to the smile he had seen on his godfather's face numerous times that the sight startled him.

"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked quietly. He looked at her and nodded.

"Just a little dazed still," Harry said and glanced at his watch. It was quarter to two. "I think I'm going to check on Dudley."

"How is it with him, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "I can imagine how confused he is right now. Plus his mum and dad just died."

"I'm surprised you're being so nice to him," Ron replied, taking Rigel's bishop. "I mean after what a git he was to you."

"But he was going off of what Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon said about me and magic," Harry said. "Besides, he is family, and I just can't abandon him. I'm the only person he really knows in the Wizarding world. As much of a git he was to me growing up, I can't just turn my back on him."

"Then you're better than I am," Ron muttered.

"Oh, Ron, you would have done the same thing," Ginny said. "I'm sure it's not the easy thing to do. But it is the right thing."

"Exactly," Harry replied, grinning at Ginny. _She really does understand me well…_

He climbed the stairs slowly and quietly, not wanting to warn Dudley of his approach. The door to the room was ajar and Harry poked his head in. Dudley was sitting with his back against the footboard of the left bed, his knees tucked up by his chest, which was an accomplishment for a boy of Dudley's size and was stroking Hedwig's feathers. She gawked when she saw him and Dudley turned around.

"Its okay, girl," Harry said to his owl, taking the few steps to the bed and stoking her head. "I won't be mad at you because you let Dudley pet you." The comment was meant as a joke, and Hedwig understood his tone but Dudley looked scared.

"Sorry, Potter," he said. "But she flew in here and sat here. And her feathers looked so soft…"

"It's all right, Dudley," Harry said. "I really don't mind."

"What are you doing up here?" Dudley asked. "Shouldn't you be downstairs with your friends?"

"I just came to check on you," Harry replied.

"I'm fine," his cousin replied. Harry blinked a few times, recognizing the tone in Dudley's voice for one that Harry often used himself. Dudley was definitely not fine.

"I know what it's like to suddenly realize you're a wizard," Harry began. "And I know what its like to loose someone close to you."

"That's just it," Dudley said. "I'm upset that Mum and Dad are dead, but not because I was close to them. They loved me enough, and gave me whatever I wanted. But I was never friends with them. I didn't know them. I'm upset because I think I should be upset that my parents died, but I really don't think I'm that upset at all."

"Funny," Harry said. "That's how I felt when I realized they died. I mean it's not like they ever treated me like family."

"Yeah, they were pretty rotten to you," Dudley agreed.

"Understatement of the century."

"Why _are_ you being so nice?" Dudley asked. "I mean, mum and dad and I were never all that nice to you. So why are you?"

Harry shrugged. "The same reason I defended you last summer with those Dementors. Because it's the right thing to do. And I'm a Gryffindor, so we're supposed to be chivalrous and stuff. But beneath everything, Dudley, you are my cousin. And now you don't have anyone in the world, but me. I wouldn't just turn my back on you."

"It's weird to think that you're just another kid, like me," Dudley said, still looking at the pillows. "You know? All I've ever known about you is what Mum and Dad have told me. Magic is evil and you're a freak. I'll admit I always thought you were odd, I mean, you have an owl as a pet, but what I've seen of magic so far has been really cool. And that thing this morning, when it happened it was really terrifying, but it was kinda cool that I did that."

"At least you knew what it was when you did it," Harry said. "There were things I would do when I was younger and I would have no idea what was happening. And then Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon would yell at me for it. At least you got a positive reaction from your first bit of magic."

"Yeah," Dudley replied. "But, how am I supposed to just walk into your world? I'd be so far behind in classes, and I don't know anyone but you. I don't know anything about your world."

_Ah, so he's thinking about going to Hogwarts._

"It would be difficult," Harry replied. "And I'm not trying to sway you to not come to Hogwarts. You would have to work hard. We all work hard each day at school. Magic's tough even when you're learning it at a steady pace. But like Professor McGonagall said, you'd be tutored each summer, and start at a lower level this school term, and probably be tutored throughout the year. You do have a lot to catch up to. But, Dudley, I remember how I felt when I didn't know about magic. I wasn't quite sure where I belonged, because I felt so different from everyone. When I went to Hogwarts, I felt like I belonged there. And now I feel out of sorts in the Muggle world. It will take some time, but you'd get used to things. But think of it this way: now that you know you have magic in you, that you should have gone to Hogwarts if your parents hadn't forced your subconscious to burry it, now knowing that you're a wizard, could you really go back to being a Muggle? Could you go to some school and get some Muggle job and really be able to live your life? My guess is no. I know I couldn't. And don't worry about not knowing anything about the Wizarding world. I didn't know a thing before I started at Hogwarts. And you have the summer to learn some stuff. We can teach you about Quidditch, and our money system, and robes and wands and about Hogwarts and-"

"Will that giant bloke be there?" Dudley asked suddenly and Harry laughed.

"Hagrid? Yeah he should be there," Harry replied. "But don't worry. He's harmless. Besides, lots of people have accidents with magic. People wind up with goat heads and snouts for noses and all kinds of things. And if someone hexed you directly, which is a strong possibility, they'd get into trouble." Harry could see easily see Malfoy hexing Dudley and a thought occurred to him. "Plus," Harry added. "If they did, they'd have to answer to me."

"Are people afraid of you?" Dudley asked.

Harry scoffed. "Not exactly. Some think I'm mad, others think I'm a show off. I am quite famous though. I never really wanted any of it, and I'd rather have my parents back than be known for something I can't even remember, but most people wouldn't cross wands with me I don't think. People might actually want to meet you and talk to you."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you're Harry Potter's cousin," Harry replied, grinning cheekily. "You'll see. You'll be Hogwarts new celebrity."

Dudley laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure everyone will be interested in me. The sixteen year old in a first year's class."

"You'll get the hang of it, Dud," Harry reassured him. "You just have to decide to work hard and do it."

Dudley nodded and reached out to stoke Hedwig again.

"Could I get an owl?" he asked.

"I suppose if you want to," Harry replied. "They're mainly used for sending and receiving mail."

"You actually get your mail with an owl?" Dudley asked. "I thought Mum made that up!"

"Nope," Harry replied. "We send our post by owl. There's loads of other stuff you could get, a cat, or something. But if you want an owl, we can get you one."

Dudley grinned at Harry, the first genuine non evil grin Harry had ever seen on his cousin's face.

"Thanks Harry."

"Not a problem," Harry replied.


	4. Chapter Four: OWL’s are STUPID’s

**Chapter Four: O.W.L.'s are S.T.U.P.I.D.'s **

The following week passed without incident. Harry had gotten permission from Professor Dumbledore to continue his morning runs, and was granted permission only if Harry would allow an Order member to accompany him. Harry had agreed, grateful he was being let out of the house. Each morning he dressed and took his trainers down the stairs and out the door for a morning run. Rigel joined him most mornings, and Harry didn't mind; it was nice to have someone to spend the cold mornings with. Neither Rigel nor Harry spoke about their runs to anyone, though everyone knew they ran together. Neither boy talked during their time running either and Harry was grateful for the silent companionship. He knew there was an order member somewhere, probably on a broom under an invisibility cloak, but Harry didn't care.

Dudley decided he was going to give magic a go, and spent the morning hours reading Harry's first year text books. Twice Dudley joined Rigel and Harry on their runs, but once every two days was all he could handle. Hermione had sent a study schedule that she felt could benefit Dudley and the other teens took turns explaining to Dudley about the magical world.

Ron took it upon himself to explain every intricate detail of Quidditch to Harry's cousin, and Dudley had listened with eager eyes, and made many comments that he couldn't wait to see an actual match.

Ginny explained Wizarding fashions, including robes, cloaks, capes and hats, and even enticed Harry, Ron and Adara to model some examples. Dudley had looked skeptical at first, but once he got it through his mind that everyone dressed like this, he didn't find it to be that big of a deal.

Harry talked about Diagon Alley, well, what was left of it, and the Ministry of Magic, well, what was left of that as well. But Galleons, Sickles and Knuts were still in use, so Harry was able to explain the wizarding monetary system without having to explain that parts of it were gone or failing.

The afternoons were filled with Exploding Snap, or Wizards Chess, both of which Dudley was dreadful at, but he didn't seem to mind. Harry was amazed at how easy his cousin had been to get along with, and wondered if Dudley's new magic ability had something to do with Dudley's attitude change. Harry had secretly spoken to Mrs. Weasley about Dudley's weight and wondered if there was some weight loss potion or tonic or something she could slip into his food. Her eye twinkled and she nodded, saying she knew just the thing. Harry knew that Dudley's weight was a secret problem for the teen, and if he felt better about the way he looked, then he would have a better time at Hogwarts.

Harry had found himself staring at Ginny. A lot. He always managed to turn his head when she would be about to notice him, but he still didn't know what was going on. When she smiled it sent his stomach into a fit of butterflies and hearing her laugh made him grin like a fool.

"A magician walked into a pub," Ginny was saying, and Harry looked up from his Shepard's pie. "'Sod it!' he said. 'I must remember to move that thing!'"

Adara, Ron, Rigel and Harry all snickered and Ginny grinned. Dudley looked blank for a moment before his face broke into a huge grin.

"I have one," Dudley said. "I went to the butcher's and bet him 50 pounds that he couldn't reach the meat on the top shelf. He shook his head and said that the steaks were too high."

Ginny nearly missed spitting out her pumpkin juice and Ron whacked her back as she choked on her laughter. The others laughed and Dudley looked very pleased with himself. They had been at this all evening, each trying to outdo each other with jokes.

"How many Quidditch players does it take to light up a wand?" Ron asked. "Six to work their butts off and a Seeker to take the credit. No offense, Harry." Harry laughed with the others and caught Ginny's eye as she laughed at Ron's joke. The sight made his heart flip over.

_Knock it off, Potter_, he told himself. Harry quickly looked back at his meal wondering why Ginny Weasley had this effect on him.

"So when does Hermione come?" Ginny asked.

"Not for a while," Ron replied. "Her mum and dad are really upset about what happened last term, and they're really worried about everything."

"They wouldn't prevent her from coming back to Hogwarts, would they?" Harry asked, suddenly a little worried.

"I don't think so," Ron replied. "But she says they don't understand about what's going on. But she says they know that Hogwarts is the safest place for her."

Harry nodded, suddenly feeling guilty. He didn't want Hermione's parents to be mad at her because she went with him to the Ministry. It wasn't her fault she got hurt, he lead them there. Hermione even tried to stop him.

Harry stood with the others to clear his dishes, washing his dishes without much thought.

"Harry," Ginny said, stopping him on his way out of the kitchen. She had her hand on his forearm and he stopped to look at her.

"It's not your fault," she said simply.

"What are you talking about, Ginny?" Harry asked, trying to act confused.

"Oh, please, Harry," she replied rolling her eyes. "I saw the look that came over your face when Ron mentioned Hermione's parents. And you've been quiet ever since. Don't think I don't know what's going on."

"I'm fine Ginny," Harry said.

"No," Ginny replied, taking her hand off his arm. "You're not, Harry. And this summer you're not going to push everyone away and let your anger at everything build up."

Now Harry was getting annoyed.

"And why would I do that?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't take that tone with me, Potter. You might be able to get away with that when it's Ron or Hermione you're talking to, but don't think I can't see right through it. I've been through this, remember? I know what Voldemort can do. Just don't push us away again. Don't retreat into your dark Harry-land of self pity and doubt. And don't look so shocked, Harry, remember I've already had to deal with Voldemort."

_But you don't have a prophecy to fulfill_, the thought, but regardless of his annoyance, his shoulders relaxed. He found it very hard to stay angry at the cute red head in front of him. He looked at her, really looking and taking in the shape of her face, the deep color of her brown eyes, the soft sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She really was quite darling.

"Where are you, Harry?"

He blinked and smiled. "Right here, Ginny."

"You were a million miles away just now," she said.

"No, I was right here," he replied, which was the truth, he was just focused on her. The same stray lock of hair that had been bothering him all week had fallen out of place and before Harry could stop himself- or chicken out- he reached over and tucked it behind her ear.

"Thanks, Ginny," Harry said. Her eyes had gone a bit wide in shock, but she remained calm and collected.

"For what, Harry?"

"For not letting me do what I always do, blame myself," he replied. "I might need you to kick me for it once and a while. You seem to be the only one willing to do it."

"I do what I can," she said and smiled at him.

_Uh oh, there goes my stomach again._

"I think I'll go read with Dudley," Harry said and she nodded.

"Night then, Harry."

"Good night, Ginny."

- - - - -

"How many subjects are there?" Dudley asked Harry. They were seated in the kitchen, the next morning. Harry had pulled out his Potions essay, deciding to get an early start on it.

Harry looked up. "Quite a few. What I'm working on is Potions, it's a bit like chemistry. But then there's Transfiguration and Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts- that's my favorite- and Herbology and Astronomy and-"

"And I have to learn all of these?" Dudley asked.

"No," Harry chuckled. "I mean, there are some you won't need a foundation for, like History of Magic. You really don't need prior knowledge for Astronomy or Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts changes each year, so we'll see about that one. You'll get to pick two electives. You don't need experience for any of those, but Ancient Runes and Arithmancy are supposed to be difficult."

"What are those?"

"Arithmancy is like mathematics, I think," Harry replied. "And Ancient Runes is sort of figuring out puzzles and translating ancient texts and stuff. I really don't know, I don't take either of those."

"What do you take?"

"My electives were Care of Magical Creatures and Divination," Harry replied. "But since I just took my O.W.L.'s-"

"O.W.L.'s?" Dudley asked.

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," Harry explained. "You take them at the end of your fifth year."

"Oh," Dudley replied. "I took my Ordinary Level test at the end of last year."

"Same sort of thing," Harry said. "And since I just took mine, I have to choose N.E.W.T. level classes based on my O.W.L. scores."

"N.E.W.T.'s?"

"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests," Harry replied. "You take those at the end of your seventh year. I think McGonagall wants to have you take most of your O.W. L's at the end of next year, and your N.E.W.T.'s the after I take mine. Don't look so horrified, Dud! For some of the subjects, you review most of the year as it is. But there shouldn't be any reason you couldn't take your History of Magic, Herbology and Astronomy, and whatever electives you choose, at the end of this year."

Dudley nodded. "I have a lot of catching up to do."

"I wonder if Dumbledore could get you a waiver on the Restriction of Underage Magic, that way you could practice some of the magic, not just read so much about it," Harry speculated.

"Actually, that is not necessary!" Professor Dumbledore said as he came into the room. "See this morning's Prophet for an explanation, Harry."

Harry took the paper from the headmaster and scanned the front page, his face lighting up.

"What is it?" Dudley asked.

"Minister Fudge lowered the age restriction for underage magic!" Harry exclaimed. "Says he wants every witch or wizard to be able to defend themselves. Apparently if they are old enough to go to Hogsmeade, they can handle doing magic away from school! This is brilliant!"

"The age restriction has been lowered to age thirteen," Professor Dumbledore said. "Cornelius was apparently very shaken up by the attack on Diagon Alley, and stories of underage students not doing magic for fear of expulsion reached his ears."

"This is fantastic, Professor," Harry said. "Now we can actually practice magic."

"This comes with a great deal of responsibility, Mr. Potter," Professor Dumbledore replied. "The same laws that apply to fully qualified wizards will apply to all over the age of thirteen."

"Of course, Professor," Harry said. Ginny and Ron came into the kitchen and Harry explained to them what had happened and then again when Adara and Rigel came to get refreshments. Each teen seemed eager to start using magic, though all seemed a bit hesitant to try it.

"Oh come on, someone do a spell!" Ron laughed.

"Oh Bugger," Harry replied and pulled out his wand. "Some Gryffindors we are! _Accio goblet!_" The goblet on the counter soared into Harry's hand and the others remained quiet, listening.

"No, I don't hear any owls," Ron said. "I suppose its okay."

"Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore said, amused by their antics. "The Minster lowered the age restriction; it was printed in the Dailey Prophet."

"But since when does the Prophet print what's true, Professor?" Ron asked and Harry had to agree.

"Too true, Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore replied. "Now, onto the other reason for my visit. We need to get Mr. Dursley a wand, and supplies. You all need textbooks and, some of you, new robes." Ron blushed and Harry grinned at his friend. He had grown at least an inch since the end of last term. "And we need to get our new students Sorted."

"But Professor," Ginny said. "Most of Diagon Alley was destroyed. Where are we going to get these things?"

"Ah, Miss Weasley, you have a point," the headmaster replied. "However, most shops have moved to Hogsmeade until Diagon Alley is rebuilt. Gringotts has set up automatic gold transfers with each vendor, and I think wizards might find that this is much easier than carrying gold coins around."

"We don't know what classes we're taking yet, Professor," Harry said. "We haven't got our O.W.L. scores back yet."

Professor Dumbledore pulled six envelopes from beneath his robe and handed them to each of them. Harry took his, a little nervous to see his O.W.L. results. With a quick glance at their headmaster, they each tore into their envelopes.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Enclosed you will find your results from your Ordinary Wizarding Level exams you took this past June. Please review your scores and choose at least six N.E.W.T. level courses to continue this next school year. Also enclosed is a complete book and supply list for all available courses. Please select your courses, and send the enclosed course form back as soon as possible. You will need to purchase the specified texts and supplies for the courses you choose_.

Harry flipped through the pages to his O.W.L. scores and his face lit up.

_Astronomy- Acceptable_

_Herbology- Exceed Expectations_

_Transfiguration- Outstanding_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts- Outstanding_

_Charms- Outstanding_

_Care of Magical Creatures- Exceed Expectations_

_Potions- Outstanding_

_Divination- Acceptable_

_History of Magic- Poor_

_Total O.W.L's: 8_

"Harry, how many?" Ron asked, seeing his friend's face.

"Eight," Harry replied and looked up at Ron. "You?"

"Seven."

"Ron, that's fantastic!" Harry exclaimed.

"What about Potions?" Ron asked.

"I got an O."

"So did I!"

"Good, at least we can face Snape's ugly face together," Harry said, looking abck at this letter. There were still more papers he needed to read through

"That's Professor Snape's ugly face, Mr. Potter," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Yes, of course, Professor," Harry replied. He flipped through the pages and a gold shiny badge fell out of the folds in the paper, a bold GC in the center.

_Mr. Potter,_

_I am pleased to offer you the position of Gryffindor Quidditch captain. Your life time band placed by Professor Umbridge has been lifted and your broom will be waiting for you when you return to Hogwarts. Please see me at the start of term to discuss this responsibility and also to set up time for tryouts for this year's team._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

Harry looked at the badge in his hand and smiled. _Quidditch Captain? Me?_

"Harry is that what I think it is?" Ron asked and Harry looked at him.

"I got Quidditch Captain," Harry stated.

Ron let out a whoop and jumped up and down. Ginny looked elated, and Harry noticed a shiny badge in her hand as well.

"Did you get Prefect, Ginny?" he asked.

"Yeah," Ginny said, trying not to blush. "Wait till Fred and George find out. They'll never let me hear the end of it."

"Congratulations Ginny," Harry said.

"You too, Harry," she replied. Harry painfully tore his eyes away from her and looked at his cousin.

"What does it say, Dudley?" Harry asked.

"That I've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," his cousin replied, a sound of awe hinted on his voice. "It explains the courses I'm to take, and what levels."

"We'll help you through it," Harry replied and looked at Rigel. "What about yours?"

"Adara and I took O.W.L.s at Salem Institute," he replied. "Except they were called Standard Testing Used Per Industry Demands, S.T.U.P.I.D's. These are just our Hogwarts acceptance letters, our S.T.U.P.I.D scores and what classes we can take at Hogwarts."

"How many did you get then?" Ron asked.

"Eight," Rigel replied and smiled "Same as Harry."

"And you, Adara?" Harry asked.

"Nine," she replied and her brother rolled his eyes.

"Only because she sat the S.T.U.P.I.D. Muggle exam," he replied. "She didn't even take the course."

"Sounds like Hermione might have some competition," Ron laughed and Harry agreed.

"So it seems the four of you have some course decisions to make," Professor Dumbledore said. "Let's plan to depart for Hogwarts in twenty minutes."

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "But I thought-"

"We will hold a private Sorting Ceremony for Rigel, Adara and Dudley first," Professor Dumbledore explained. "Then we will be off to Hogsmeade."

Harry nodded and smiled as Mrs. Weasley came into the kitchen.

"Mum, where have you been?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, out and about, dear," her mother replied but looked tired, like she'd been up all night. "Order stuff, don't worry about it."

"Does Dad know?" Ron asked.

"Of course he does, Ron," Mrs. Weasley replied. "He doesn't know specifics, but then again no one knows exactly what each member is doing at every moment. Much safer that way."

"Glad to see you are safe and sound, Molly," Professor Dumbledore said. "I've just given the students their Hogwarts letters and O.W.L. results. We are going to Hogwarts to Sort our new students and then into Hogsmeade."

"Oh, how did you all do on your O.W.L.'s?" Mrs. Weasley asked. They relayed their scores, Ginny's new Prefect badge and Harry's appointment of Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. She fussed and cried and hugged each of them before hugging them all in one large hug.

"Oh that is such wonderful news," she said, dabbing at her eyes. "And you three, good luck with your Sorting. You might even have to wrestle a troll!"

Harry and Ron looked at each other and then at Mrs. Weasley and burst out laughing.

"Mum!" Ron cried. "You were the one that started that! Fred and George told me that before my first year and I believed them!"

"Now, Ronald," Mrs. Weasley said, laughing. "I can enjoy a good joke once in a while."

"I would have never expected that from Mum," Ron replied. "I am quite proud."

"Well thank you, Ron," his mother said. "Albus, will you need me to-"

"Today, Molly, you need to get some rest and put your feet up," Professor Dumbledore said, putting a hand up to cut her off. "We have five other Order members who are going into the village with us, and you need your rest."

Mrs. Weasley looked a little hurt but nodded and smiled away her expression.

"Be careful, you lot," she said, wagering a finger at them. "I know about this new age restriction, or lack there of, and I don't want you getting into any trouble."

"Yes, Mum," Ron and Ginny chirped and Harry, Rigel and Adara nodded. Dudley was still looking at his Hogwarts letter. Harry took notice, but didn't comment on it at that time.

He, Ron, Rigel and Adara sat down to chose their classes for next school term. Rigel, Ron and Harry all decided on Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Astronomy, Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Adara chose the same, exchanging Astronomy for Arithmancy and Herbology for Ancient Runes.

"Wish we could know what Hermione was taking," Ron said.

"Easy," Harry replied. "Everything."

Ron snorted but continued in a serious tone of voice. "I hope she's doing okay. I know her parents ore bothering her a bit, and I really hope she can make it for your birthday."

Harry nodded, understanding Ron's worries about their friend, but not understanding the tone of care and concern in Ron's voice.

_One more thing to try and figure out._

They all, with the exception of Dudley, grabbed cloaks from their rooms and met Professor Dumbledore in the front entry. He held out a feather quill and once they were all touching it, they were jerked backwards, flown through space and silence and landed in the front hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


	5. Chapter Five: Lasting Friends

**Chapter Five: Lasting Friends**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. There is a bit at the end of this chapter that is almost directly from cannon, and I am not claiming it as mine either. Obviously it was changed and it is not an exact quote, but it was close enough that I felt that I needed to place this on here, again_

_A/N: There are a lot of changing views throughout this, but I think it's distinctly clear. I usually hate changing point of views this often in one chapter, but it was necessity. Enjoy. MdK_

- - - -

Havenwood House stood proudly amongst the lush growth of the British countryside. With its massive grounds, dense forests, fresh clear lake that flowed went along side the property, Havenwood House was breathtaking. It even boasted a bird house, where the penguins lived.

Christina sighed at the sight. This was her family's house, but she had never felt at comfortable here. She'd never felt comfortable anywhere, come to think of it. And the letter she had received this morning might have been able to explain this.

She glanced down at her letter, clutched tightly in her hand. Sitting down on the grass, she tucked her feet underneath her and opened it again, pulling her blond hair out of her eyes as the wind kicked up.

_Dear Miss Windsor,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_…

_Witchcraft and wizardry?_ she thought_. Is there really suck a thing?_

She certainly hoped so.

Why she couldn't be more refined like her brothers. They carried their titles with pride and respect. She had always tried, but it was always foreign to her. Things didn't happen to her siblings like things happened to her. They never caused the polo balls to sprout legs and run away from their attackers or turned an annoying reporter's hair bright pink.

Christina smiled at the memory. Father had been furious and apologized profusely, though no one was sure how it had happened. One thing was for sure, it was Christina's fault. No one knew why, but everyone knew that is was. It was always Christina's fault.

"Christina," her father would say. "I don't know what it is about you, but you had better behave. Your country expects more of you as a princess, and if you weren't in line to be the Queen, I wouldn't care, but this family doesn't need anymore rumors and scandals flying around!"

_Will and Harry don't have these weird things happen to them,_ Christina thought bitterly. She liked her brothers well enough, and was not jealous of their more immediate succession to the crown of England in any way. She just felt like she was born to the wrong family.

Though she didn't know how everyone would react to having a witch in the royal family.

- - - -

Dudley felt his draw drop and didn't even attempt to care. This was amazing.

"This is your school?" Dudley asked, his eyes darting every which way, trying to take everything in.

"What?" Harry asked as placed his glasses back on his face. "Oh, yeah, this is Hogwarts."

"This is amazing," Rigel stated. "Salem Institute was more of a campus, multiple buildings, and different dormitories and such. Hogwarts is a _castle_."

Ron and Ginny chuckled but Dudley couldn't agree with him more. Harry, his freak cousin, attended school in a castle.

"Its like from a fairy tale," Dudley said as Professor Dumbledore ushered them along the corridor.

Harry laughed. "Yeah, we even had fire breathing dragons a couple years back."

"Dragons?" Dudley asked, sure that he was having a go at him. "You're kidding right?"

Harry shook his head. "Not in the slightest."

Dudley looked at his cousin in awe. Magic wasn't weird, or unnatural; it was _cool_. It was amazing. It was intriguing and interesting and everything that his Muggle life had not been.

_No matter what it takes_, Dudley thought to himself, _this is going to be my new life. I have nothing to go back to anyway, and this is who I am supposed to be. I vow to work as hard as possible and do whatever it takes to learn and practice and master magic. _

"We have different dormitories," Ron said to Rigel. "They're just all in the same building. We call them Houses."

"What House are you all in?" Adara asked.

"Gryffindor," the three Gryffindor replied simultaneously and then laughed at themselves. They explained the other three houses to the three new students and Dudley decided that he didn't want to be in Slytherin.

"Professor Dumbledore," Professor McGonagall called and rushed down the hall.

"Yes, Minerva?" Professor Dumbledore asked, stopping in the middle of the hall, the students halting behind him.

"Headmaster," Professor McGonagall said, showing him a slip of parchment. Professor Dumbledore's eyebrows rose as he reads through the note, and a thin smile appeared on his face.

"Really?" he asked, looking at Professor McGonagall. "How interesting. Well, we shall need to go about this delicately, then."

"How are we to meet her parents and explain?" Professor McGonagall asked. "It's not like we can just knock on the door."

"I agree," he replied and thought for a moment. "Let me think one this one. Too bad Ms. Granger's parents aren't letting her leave the house; she would be good at this sort of thing."

"I'll owl them, Albus," Professor McGonagall said. "Because of the family in question, they might let her accompany us."

"Let me know what Rupert and Victoria say," Professor Dumbledore replied. "I'll be in my office."

Professor nodded at the students and took off down the corridor.

"What do you need Hermione for, Professor?" Harry asked before he could top himself.

"There is a Muggle born witch that received an acceptance letter to Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore replied and they began walking again. "Her family is a rather large and of a well known lineage, and convincing them of the need for her to attend Hogwarts might prove difficult. Hermione is a Muggle born witch and has knowledge of said family, and bringing a current student with us when we visit this family might make Hogwarts not see as…" Professor Dumbledore paused, trying to think of the correct word.

"Weird?" Dudley suggested.

"For lack of a better word, yes, Mr. Dursley, weird."

Ron and Harry snickered and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Ah, here we are," Professor Dumbledore asked as they approached a large stone gargoyle. "Abba Zabba."

This was apparently some sort of password because the stone gargoyle jumped aside, revealing a set of circular stone steps.

"After you," Professor Dumbledore said, indicating that they were to enter first. Harry seemed to know what was going on, and as he stepped onto the first stone step the stairs began to move upwards, circling around a stone pillar. Ron and Ginny jumped on a step after Harry, and Rigel and Adara did the same. A little uneasy, Dudley stepped onto a stone step with Professor Dumbledore right behind him.

"This is just like an escalator!" Dudley cried as the stone stairs carried him upwards.

"A what?" Ron asked.

"And escalator," Dudley repeated. "You know, one of those things they have at shopping centers and such?"

"I've heard of those," Ginny replied. "I think Hermione mentioned once."

"Oh, it's a Muggle thing," Ron said, and that seemed to explain everything to him.

The six students entered their headmaster's office and Professor Dumbledore went to fetch the sorting hat.

"You all right, Harry?" Ginny asked.

He nodded. "Just a little uncomfortable."

"You shouldn't be after all the time you've spent in here," Ron said.

"Last time wasn't very pleasant," Harry replied.

Dudley was about to ask why his cousin had been in the headmaster's office numerous times and why the last time wasn't pleasant when Professor Dumbledore came back into the main room with a stool and an old hat.

"Will we have to listen to it sing?" Ron asked.

"No," Professor Dumbledore replied, though Dudley had no idea what it was talking about. Then a great spit went though the hat, Dudley had taken it for a fold, and the hat spoke.

"No, Master Weasley, not quite yet," the Sorting Hat drawled. "I need to make some finishing touches on my song before I perform at the start of term."

"Ah," Ron replied. Dudley was beside himself. The hat talked! And no one else seemed to think this was odd!

"Now I've explained to the Sorting Hart the reason for this little visit," Professor Dumbledore explained. "I have not told him your names, just that there are three new students transferring at the beginning of term and needed to be sorted immediately. So how wants to go first?"

Rigel and Adara exchanged a look and before either of them had moved, Dudley made a decision and took a step towards the stool and the old talking hat.

"Splendid, Mr. Dursley," Professor Dumbledore said smiling and Dudley took a seat on the stood, realizing that he fit better on the stool than he had, and the headmaster sat the hat on Dudley's head.

"Well now," a voice said and Dudley looked around frantic.

"Who said that?" he asked out loud and the three Gryffindors snickered.

"No one else can hear me," the voice said. "It's only in your head that I can see, so it's only in your head that you can hear me.

_The hat is talking to me_, Dudley thought. _In my head._

"Perceptive, aren't you," the Sorting Hat drawled. "Now let's see here… Yes, you've not a bad mind, defiantly a lot of courage in you. You're awful full determination as well. You'd make a good Gryffindor. But I also see a lot of treachery in you, and a great load of ambition. You defiantly want to prove yourself. You might not make a bad Slytherin."

_What about the other houses?_ Dudley thought, remembering there were two others Harry had told him about.

"Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff?" the Sorting Hat asked. "Yes, you would make a loyal Hufflepuff, but I don't see enough patience in you. And as Ravenclaw, your mind and wit would be tested and I don't think that would suit you well. So, where to put you?"

_I'd like to go to Gryffindor, please._

"Gryffindor, eh? Well now, isn't that bold request?" the Sorting Hat chuckled. "And why is that?"

_My parents just died, and Harry is all I have left. I think we might even become friends eventually. And I don't know anything about the magical world. I'd like to stay with my cousin. I'd like to give it a go to make amends with him. We've had a rough start, and with all this new magic stuff, I'd like to have a go at magic, and have a go at becoming friends with him._

"That is a very courageous thing to want," the Sorting Hat replied. "But I see it in you, and it's a genuine want. Making the decision to take on years worth of material, wanting to work to catch up, its takes bravery you know. And what you did at the end of your last term, standing up to a friend because of what was right. That was a very Gryffindor thing to do. Right then… GRYFFINDOR!"

- - - -

Adara watched Dudley sit on the stool with the Sorting Hat. His face scrunched up as he listened to what the hat had to say. Salem Institute didn't have a sorting hat, and whatever dormitory you were placed in was based on a preliminary interview you had before your first year. They looked at everyone's personalities, study habits, strengths and weaknesses and placed you with your dorm mates based on those attributes. Salem Institute did have a spell that each teacher cast upon you towards the end of your second year. It helped determine what subjects you had a natural ability for and allowed you to make course decisions.

But this was something completely different.

From what Harry and Ron had told her, all she had to do was try on the hat, and it would look into your head and determine from what it saw in you what House you were to be Sorted into.

"And this happens when you're eleven?" she had asked. "That's absurd, how does anyone know who they are when they're eleven?"

Harry and Ron had shrugged.

"Apparently it does," Ron replied. "There are some students who could go either place, but I've never seen it make a mistake with someone."

_Well I know where I want to go,_ Adara thought. She had known her mother her entire life, but knew nothing of her father. She knew he had been in Gryffindor, when the rest of his family had been in Slytherin. She wanted a chance to know that part of her father, to experience what he had in that House. Quidditch matches, waving red and gold flags, cheering at the Gryffindor table. She needed that part of her life fulfilled. It helped staying in the house of Black, but being in the House that he loved, the one that had been _home_ to him, that would mean everything to her.

Adara saw Harry's face light up when the hat's rim split open again and shouted Gryffindor into the silent chamber. Dudley grinned and Professor Dumbledore took the Sorting Hat off of Dudley's head and Dudley stepped down the stairs to stand beside his cousin.

"Congratulations, Dud," Harry said and Ron clapped the larger teen on his shoulder.

"Welcome to Gryffindor," Ron said.

"Rigel, Adara?" Professor Dumbledore asked and Adara stepped forward. He placed the hat on the dark haired teen and stepped back.

"Well now, isn't this a surprise?" the Sorting Hat stated. "Didn't expect to see anymore Black's to appear beneath my rim. Well, now you have a great deal of your father in you, but your mother seems to give you a calming nature your father greatly lacked. Immense amounts of courage and bravery in you, no you wouldn't back down from a fight. You've got a superb mind also; you would do well in Ravenclaw. But no, I think it's clear where you heart is, and apparently there is no arguing with you. All right then, GRYFFINDOR!"

Adara's face split into a huge grin as she hopped off the stool, her dark hair swishing along her back.

"Yay!" Ginny squealed and engulfed the girl into a hug. "Too bad you aren't going to be in my year!"

"But at least we're in the same house," Adara replied, grinning at the red head. She and Ginny had become friends over the past weeks at Grimmauld Place, and Adara was grateful for it.

She met her brother's smiling eyes as he stepped towards the stool. She knew her brother's thoughts on being in Gryffindor, and knew that he was as stubborn as she was. She doubted the Sorting Hat would have much of a problem sorting him the same way.

- - - -

Rigel glanced at his sister, willing himself not to be envious of her.

_She's already been sorted where she wants to,_ he thought. _Don't let her down._

"Well now," the Sorting Hat said as it was dropped onto his head. "I had suspected you'd be following your sister shortly. Good Heaven's look at your mind! It seems you want to know your father as well, but don't you think that Slytherin would suit you better?"

_Not a chance,_ Rigel thought. _Father wasn't a Slytherin. The Blacks were, but he wasn't. And I'm not._

"Don't let your temper get to you," the Sorting Hat chided. "You're only proving my point. No, you're right, there's not enough greed and self preservation in you for that House. Hufflepuff would bore you, I'm afraid, as would the Ravenclaws. It seems the only place to sort you would be into Gryffindor. You'd make a lot of friends there, and you would feel at home. Much like your father did."

_I never knew him_, Rigel thought. Gryffindor _was his home, and I want it to be mine._

"Very well," the Sorting Hate replied. "GRYFFDINDOR!"

Adara's face was the first thing his eyes made contact with and she beamed. Rigel stepped down the few stairs and smiled at his new housemates. The other five Gryffindors were applauding loudly, each had proud and excited smiled plastered across their faces. At bit numb, he realized what it mean to him to be Sorted into their House, into his father's House, and he hadn't known it would mean this much to him. These people, with the exception of Dudley, knew his father and loved his father. Harry had been like a son to him, they had said. And now knowing that he was to be apart of that, well, it made him incredibly happy.

His twin threw her arms around him and he could feel silent sobs escape from her. He hugged her back, fighting his own tears.

Remus had been right. There were people here willing to make them apart of their family. And he was grateful.

- - - -

Hermione sat at the kitchen table surrounded by books. In fact, if someone were to walk into the kitchen, she wouldn't be seen. Not that anyone would be walking into the kitchen, her parents were both a work, and Hermione was an only child.

She sighed and put down her quill. Her Transfiguration essay could wait a moment or two. She was annoyed at her parent's sudden overbearing attitude. They were being ridiculous in her eyes, and not allowing her to visit her friends was killing her. She missed Harry and Ron terribly. She and Ginny had become good friends over the years and Hermione found Ginny a wonderful source of girl time when Ron and Harry became too much to bear. Her friends had kept her up to date with the summer's events and Hermione was extremely curious about Dudley's sudden magical abilities and she also wanted to meet Sirius's son and daughter.

The thought of Sirius brought tears to her eyes and she subconsciously rubbed the scar across her chest. She had Antonin Dolohov to thank for that. She shuddered at the thought of the Death Eater and a strange anger continued to fester in her. She felt her breathing speed up, becoming unstable and uneasy.

"Calm down, Hermione," she instructed herself and fought against the feelings of hatred. It was a side effect from the curse the Death Eater had hit her with. She took her potions when she was supposed to, and was healing properly, but this was something she had to fight on her own. The nature of the spell was hatred and it was hurled at her with a strong hatred force, and she would have to fight the feelings now corrupting her heart.

She thought of Ron and Harry and their faces brought her breathing to a calmer pace. She would have to wait till she got to Grimmauld Place, or worse, Hogwarts, till she could research the spell and a way to fight it. After the attack on Diagon Alley, she was not able to go to the bookshop to search for a book. Being on their Most Valued Customer List had its advantages, but nothing in their inventory list looked like it would contain the information she needed.

She sighed again, wanting desperately to get out of her house. Her parents had forbid going to Grimmauld Place until things settled down. She had pleaded with them, and explained that things weren't going to settle down for a while and insisted that her friends needed her, and that Grimmauld Place was safe. They didn't budge and she was furious. She didn't speak to them for the first two weeks of term, and only when they mentioned a possibility for her to go to Headquarters for Harry's birthday, and _only_ Harry's birthday, had she begin to calm down a bit. Maybe if she buttered them up they would let her stay through the end of August.

She jumped as an owl tapped on the window, and nearly spilt ink all over her parchment. She stood and crossed the room, letting the owl into the kitchen. Confused at the sight of a school owl, as she had gotten her O.W.L. results a few days earlier, she untied the letter. Giving the owl a treat, the owl clicked at her until she slid open the seal and read through the letter.

Hermione's face grew into a very large smile before running into the hall and phoning her parents at work. They just had to let her out of the house for this!

- - - - -

Harry blinked his eyes forcing them to readjust to the summer sunlight. He stepped out of the Hogsmeade location of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and glanced up and down the street. There were other Hogwarts students shopping with their families. It was the most crowded that he'd ever seen Hogsmeade, actually.

"Coming, Harry?" Ron asked and Harry nodded, following the other students, and their Order minders, down the street to the Three Broomsticks. They had just spent the past two hours in Madam Malkin's, fitting the six Hogwarts students for new school robes. They had already been through the makeshift store that Flourish and Blotts had set up, and visited the local apothecary for some of their supplies. Other supplies would need to be ordered by owl.

"Where am I to get a wand, Harry?" Dudley asked.

"At Ollivander's, I s'pose," Harry replied, looking around and back down the street. "But I didn't see one."

"He's set up at the very end," Tonks said. She had surprised them at the Hogwarts gates with long blond hair and a long aristocratic nose. Harry had at first thought she was a Malfoy, until Tonks laughed and changed herself back to normal. Well, normal for Tonks was brightly colored blue hair. Harry had never seen what her natural form was. Harry had been introduced to the other four Order members who were their minders for the day, though he didn't know any of them or remember any of their names once they had begun walking towards the village.

"Let's go get you a wand before we eat," Harry said to his cousin. "Tonks, would you like to accompany us?" He knew she was going to even if he hadn't asked.

"Of course," she replied. "Quickly, though. Its hot and I need some refreshment."

Harry, Dudley and Tonks turned and walked back up the street towards the building Ollivander had rented out.

"Ah, Mr. Potter," Mr. Ollivander said as they came into the shop. "I hadn't been expecting to see you for another couple years. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Ollivander, this is my cousin, Dudley. He needs a wand."

Mr. Ollivander eyed Dudley who stared back at the elderly wizard with interest.

"I can't say that I've never heard of you, Mr. Dursley," Mr. Ollivander said. "I just wasn't aware that you were a wizard."

"Neither was I," Dudley replied. "I found out after my mum and dad died."

Mr. Ollivander didn't say anything, and turned on his heal to the back of the store. Dudley eyed Harry, and Harry tried not to smile.

"I think that means he likes you," Harry replied in a hushed whisper. "See, he's coming back now with some wands for you to try."

"Here we are, Mr. Dursley," Mr. Ollivander said, placing several boxes on the counter. "Maple, eleven inches, core of unicorn hair. Give it a go."

Dudley took the wand from the older wizard and stared at it.

"Well, give it a wave," Ollivander said. Dudley looked embarrassed but swished the wand through the air as he had seen his cousin do.

Nothing happened.

Mr. Ollivander frowned, his bushy white eyebrows joining as one in the center of his forehead giving the impression that there was a very large and long white caterpillar on his face.

"Definitely not that one," the old wizard said and handed Dudley another wand.

"I have to try another one?" Dudley asked.

"It is the wand that chooses the wizard, Mr. Dursley," Mr. Ollivander replied. "If we must, we shall go through the entire inventory until we find one best suited for you.

Dudley sighed and waved the second wand.

Nothing.

After another three wands of the same result, Tonks excused herself to sit outside, and Harry sat back on the bench beside the door.

_Maybe there had been some mistake,_ Harry thought. _Maybe the Silencing charm was a fluke. Maybe I cast the charm without intending to. But he could see Hogwarts… and the Sorting Hat…_But Harry knew that he wanted his cousin to a wizard. For some reason, it felt _too_ right. Harry and Dudley had been getting along great the past couple week or so, and Harry found it, well, nice to be able to have his cousin for a friend. He hoped that Dudley was a wizard, so that they continue to be friends.

"Tricky customer aren't you?" Mr. Ollivander said and took the twelfth wand from Dudley. "But no matter, we always find a wand."

Mr. Ollivander went to the back of the store again and Dudley turned to Harry, looking deflated.

"Maybe I'm not a wizard," Dudley said.

"Of course you are," Harry replied. "Besides, I doubt the Sorting Hat would have sorted you if you weren't."

Dudley nodded but didn't look convinced. Mr. Ollivander came back with another stack of wands and they began the process again.

Still nothing. This went on for the next thirty minutes. Each wand that Dudley touched and waved around didn't react to him at all. Harry knew that you never got the same results from someone else's wand that you would with your own, but nothing at all? No broken vases, or smashed windows or anything?

"Lets try this one," Mr. Ollivander said and handed Dudley the wand. "Oak, 11 ½ inches, hair from a unicorn's tail."

As Dudley's hand grasped the wand a great wind swept through the room, scattering papers and empty boxes. A great light came out of the end of the wand, and it seemed to be radiating from Dudley himself. It lasted only a few seconds and then faded, leaving Dudley's blond hair looking wind blown.

"Wow," Dudley said.

"Interesting," Mr. Ollivander said and Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. If Ollivander found something interesting, nothing good could come of it.

"Does that always happen?" Dudley asked.

"Everyone reacts to their wand differently, Mr. Dursley," Mr. Ollivander said. "Your cousin's first reaction to his wand was a spectacular display of red and gold sparks, much like a firework show."

"That what was interesting?" Dudley asked.

"I told you the core was from a unicorn tail," Mr. Ollivander replied. "And I remember every wand I've ever sold. And it just so happens that your Aunt Lily's wand core was also from a unicorn."

"Was it from the same animal?" Harry asked suddenly.

"No, Mr. Potter, actually, the core of your mother's wand was from a beautiful beast named Palma. The core from Mr. Dursley's wand is from Palma's sister's son."

Harry and Dudley both stared at each other. "So, Dudley's wand is my mum's wand's nephew?" Harry asked.

"It seems so," Mr. Ollivander replied and handed Dudley, who was still clutching his wand, the wand box.

"What's your wand core, Harry?" Dudley asked.

"Erm, phoenix feather," Harry replied and paid Mr. Ollivander.

"Find a wand, boys?" Tonks asked as they stepped out of the wand shop.

"Yes," Dudley said, proudly showing her his new wand. Dudley chatted Tonks' ear off as they made their way down the street, and Harry could help feeling like there was more that Mr. Ollivander wasn't telling them about Dudley's wand and its relation to Harry's mum's.

Harry shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore. Instead he opened the door and followed Tonks and Dudley into the Three Broomsticks.

"Took you long enough!" Ron said as they sat down. "Did you get lost?"

Harry laughed. "No, Dudley just took some time choosing his wand. Or the wands took their time choosing him, rather."

"But you got one?" Ron asked, looking at Dudley.

"I guess this confirms that I'm a wizard," Dudley said and showed everyone his new wand. Neither Harry nor Dudley mentioned the connection between the wand cores.

_Maybe it's a family thing_, Harry thought. _I mean, Dudley is related to my mum. And if I didn't have all this prophecy nonsense I might have ended up with a different wand._

Though not a comforting thought, the idea did make sense and Harry decided not to dwell on it further. It didn't matter what core Dudley's wand contained, just that his cousin had a wand. That idea was still something to get used to.

Harry was careful not to gulp down his Butterbeer when it arrived, though he was thirsty enough to drink an entire careful. Instead he sipped at his beverage and listened as Dudley told of his experience in Ollivander's Wand shop like it was a crusade.

As Harry took the last swig of his drink, a foul stench reached his nose and he swallowed before he chocked.

"Urgh," Tonks said. "What is that?"

The smell seemed familiar, yet disgusting to Harry and as his mind placed where he knew the smell from he looked at Ron, who was realizing the same thing.

"First year," Harry stated and Ron nodded.

"Halloween."

"Trolls!" a screaming voice came as he ran into the pub. "Trolls in the village, at least fifteen of them!"

Before anyone could tell them not to, or realize what they were going to do, Ron and Harry bolted from the table and onto the street. A gigantic mountain troll was walking past the front of the Three Broomsticks, dragging his club behind him, leering at the screaming patrons running in front of him.

"Stupefy on three," Harry said and Ron nodded. "One… two… three! _Stupefy!_"

Ron and Harry cried the spell at the same time and hit the troll squarely in the face. His eyes glazed over before falling forward, nearly missing a mother clutching her toddler.

"Cool," Ron said. "Must easier than levitating his club and knocking him out that way."

"And much more efficient and time saving," Harry replied. "Come one, that bloke said there were fifteen of them."

"Well, there's one down," Rigel said behind them and Ron and Harry spun around.

"Come on," Ginny said from beside Rigel. "We're going to help."

"No, you're going to go back inside and-" Harry began but soon found himself with Ginny's wand pointed directly between his eyes.

"No, Harry, I'm going to come and help, because I am fully capable of doing so. All you did was cast a Stunning Spell. We learned that in what, second year?"

Harry didn't feel like arguing, nor did he like being on the receiving end of Ginny's wand.

"Fine, let's go," he said.

"Dudley is inside with Tonks," Adara explained as they trotted down the street. "The other four took off out the back door. They weren't too pleased that you took off."

"Well, they can deal with it," Harry replied. "I'm tired of being treated like a first year."

"There's one," Ginny said and pointed down the street that lead to the Shrieking Shack.

"You think five stunners would be too much?" Ron asked.

"I think it depends on the troll," Adara answered. "We learned a lot about them last year."

"Lets try two then," Harry replied and locked eyes with Ron before casting the Stunning Spell at the troll again. They hit him in the back and he fell over onto his face.

"Two down," Rigel counted. They five of them split up as they made their way down the street. Other wizards and witches seemed to notice what they were doing and soon the street was filled with Stunned trolls.

"I've counted at least thirteen," Rigel said. Harry could see Ginny and Adara helping people to their feet up the street a ways.

"Where do you think the other two went?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, not taking his eyes off Ginny. "Dunno. We never had a confirmed number, we just went off what that wizard in the pub said."

"He could have counted wrong, I guess," Ron said. "Still weird though, how they just showed up like that. Wonder what they were here for."

"Think about it Ron," Harry replied.

"Oh yeah."

Ginny was dusting off her robes and as the sunlight caught her hair, Harry was amazed at its beauty and brilliance of color. Ron's hair is never that color, Harry thought. She turned and looked in their direction and their eyes met. Harry smiled at her and she returned the smile, all the time Harry was vaguely aware of Ron and Rigel talking behind him. All he knew was Ginny.

Suddenly her face was full of fear and Harry felt himself thrown to the ground. Ron and Rigel had dropped beside him and they all nearly missed being hit by the club the twenty foot troll was swinging at them. Harry rolled onto his back and then to the left, pushing Ron to the side, as the club came down between himself and Ron, and Rigel.

"Stun it!" he heard Ginny yell and saw five Stunners hit the troll. It didn't faze him. Ron and Harry got to their feet quickly, and threw their own Stunners at the troll but still it didn't affect him.

"Something else!" Harry yelled and jumped aside, flattening himself against the building as the club came down again.

"What?" Ron asked, looking around. "What else could work?"

"Dunno!" Harry cried and pulled Ron around the corner of the building, nearly missing the club. The troll seemed to be aggravated that his smash subjects weren't holding still, and began swinging more forcefully and more frequently.

"Rigel!" Adara yelled. "Full Body Bind him!"

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" Harry heard Rigel yell and the troll paused and blinked a few times before shaking his head and swinging again.

"Rigel, on three!" Harry yelled. "One…two… three…"

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" the three Gryffindors roared and the troll stopped moving. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell over sideways, the ground shaking under his weight as he fell. Rigel was standing on the other side of the troll, his wand out, dirt on his face and looking incredibly terrifying.

No one said anything for quite sometime. Rigel, Ron and Harry just stood and looked at each other, each feeling a bit embarrassed and awkward.

And Harry knew right then that he and Rigel were going to be friends for a very long time. There were some things that you can't share without ending up with a lasting friendship, and knocking out a twenty foot mountain troll was one of them.

- - - -

_A/N: HRH Princess Christina Windsor is completely made up. She doesn't exist. I needed a character in that exact place in her family, and so I made her up._

_Also, I know I just gave Gryffindor three new members, but it was seriously the only way to do it. I deliberated back and forth about doing that, and even tried placing them in different houses. Adara almost went to Ravenclaw. But with the nature of the story, and things to come, I needed them all close to Harry, and Gryffindor was the best place for that._

_I can't for the life of me remember when they learned the Stunning Spell, and if it wasn't second year, please let me know and I'll fix it. I don't have access to my copies of the Harry Potter books and the Harry Potter wasn't very helpful. It is a great source of HP information, and at the number one spot in my book, but for this it didn't help much. So if anyone remembers when they learned it, let me know and I'll fix it._

_Lastly, the last stanza of this chapter is a modified passage from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone/ Philosopher's Stone, and the original was written by J.K. Rowling. The lines fit, so I put them in. It made a connection to cannon and I liked it._

_Please review._

_MdK_


End file.
